Dear
friends,
in
this issue we publish the final part of the article. Part I and Part II, you
can read on the sirius-eng.net
website.
On
the Great White Brotherhood
An
article for the Internet encyclopedia
...Continued
Influence on philosophy and science
Ancient Greek philosopher Plotinus
According
to V.F. Asmus, the Russian philosopher, historian of philosophy, “The main task of Plotinus’ philosophy is to
consistently deduce from the Divine unity the gradation of everything
manifested in the world, and point the way back to the original unity. This
task is not scientific and not philosophical, but religious, theosophical.
<...> Plotinus understood the immeasurable difficulty of this task. Only
a genius, and, moreover, a genius in an exceptional state of spirit, can
directly rise to the concept of the one, recognize the one as an
unconditionally independent principle, see in it the foundation from which
everything should flow. <...> Ordinary people, immersed throughout their
lives in the sensual, as well as people who rise above it for a short while but
then turn to ordinary material life, follow a path contrary to their true
nature, and the farther away from it they are, the more difficult it is for
them to return. Just as children abandoned by their parents and raised by
strangers cannot know their fathers and, having forgotten their origin, cannot
correctly identify themselves, so the souls of these people, who have gone far
from the source, forget the last foundations of being, their father,
themselves, their past.”[2]
Neoplatonists also recognized and actively used mystical practices,
theurgy, as a process of reunion with God during prayer practices.
Porphyry,
Theodore of Asine, Lamblichus, Proclus, Plutarch are the philosophers of the
Middle Ages, also including Origen, Augustine the Blessed, Pseudo-Dionysius the
Areopagite, Meister Eckhart, Tauler[3]. In the era of
the Renaissance, the ideas of the Neoplatonists were developed by Nicholas of
Cusa, Paracelsus, Tommaso Campanella, and Giordano Bruno.
Subsequently, the philosophy of Neoplatonism
Philosopher V. Solovyov
In the 19th
and 20th centuries, with the publication of the works of H.P.
Blavatsky and the foundation of the Theosophical Society, theological and
theosophical views again gained popularity in the USA, Europe, and had a
significant influence on Russian philosophy.
The ideas
of brotherhood, the supreme will, the moral and ethical foundations of science
and spiritual evolution developed into a new direction of Russian philosophical
and religious thought – “Russian cosmism”[6], whose
prominent representatives among philosophers were N.K. Roerich, V. Solovyov, N.
Berdyaev, V. Ivanov, N. Fedorov, P. Florensky, I. Ilyin, S. Frank, with closer
to the middle of the 20th century - A.F. Losev.[7] The concepts
of N.K. Roerich and H.I. Roerich, The Living Ethics, as well as of V.
Solovyov about Sophia as a world soul, had a great influence on the development
of theosophical ideas.
Theosophical and anthroposophical views are reflected in the works of
not only Russian philosophers, but also writers, scientists, artists and
composers.
Spiritual
rebirth, merging with the Divine in eternity resonates in the works of the
symbolist poets, D. Merezhkovsky, V. Bryusov, K. Balmont, A. Bely, A. Blok and
writers, F. Dostoevsky, A. Platonov, S. Bulgakov.
“We were – a twilight haze, we will be flamy spirits.”
[8]
Konstantin Tsiolkovsky and Vladimir Vernadsky
The ethical
principles of science were developed by K.A. Tsiolkovsky, V.I. Vernadsky, A.L. Chizhevsky.[9] Thus, V.I.
Vernadsky believed that man is not a perfect creation and that there are higher
developed beings besides him:
“Homo sapiens is not the completion of creation, he
does not own a perfect mental apparatus. He serves as an intermediate element
in a lengthy chain of creatures who have their past, and, obviously, will have
a future.”[10]
K.E.
Tsiolkovsky pointed to the existence of planets at the highest stages of
evolution and inhabited by “higher people.”[11]
“… We must admit the existence of many gods of various
ranks. The higher they are, the farther they are from a person, the more
incomprehensible to him.”[12]
According
to researchers of “Russian cosmism”, this is “a unique phenomenon of Russian
culture,” however, “in Soviet times, all the diversity and polyphonic
universality of Russian cosmism as an integral phenomenon was enclosed in a
clearly defined circle of ideological dogmas ... Having lost its spiritual
foundation, cosmism, in fact, ceased to exist on a national basis, and as an
independent philosophical movement.”[13]
According to theosophists, major
figures of world religions and theological organizations, composers,
scientists, humanist rulers and many other famous people were related to the Great
White Brotherhood: they were members of the Great White Brotherhood or studied,
contacted them.[14] However,
there are not many historical sources in which it is mentioned that persons
recognized by theosophists consider themselves members of the Great White
Brotherhood. Among the historical figures who referred to themselves as
“missionaries” of the Great White Brotherhood can be mentioned, the
philosophers Roger Bacon, Francis Bacon, Thomas More, as well as Nicholas and
Helena Roerich, Helena P. Blavatsky, A.N. Scriabin.[15] Also,
members of the Rosicrucian Order considered as their mission to serve the
“Universal Brotherhood”, while clarifying that the "Universal
Brotherhood" and the “Brotherhood of Shambhala” are one and the same.[16]
“As
far as it concerns the other members of the Great White Brotherhood, the
historical figures who actually existed and perform a significant role in the
development of mankind, this can be judged on the basis of the Theosophical
works.” Helena Roerich described their
position in society and mission:
“...They came from all the great founders of
kingdoms, religions, philosophies, and most of the alchemists and individual
figures of saints, but don't look for them in the narrow, dogmatic. They are
the founders of a living religion of the heart, but not of enslaving dogmas.”[17]
Akbar the Great and Saint Germain
The esoteric tradition includes such
historical figures as Apollonius of Tyana, Ramses II, Pythagoras, Plato,
Origen, Confucius, Lao Tzu, Shankara, Sergius of Radonezh, Akbar the Great,
Jacob Boehme, Dante, Giordano Bruno, Joan of Arc, Campanella, Saint Germain and
many others among the incarnations of the Founders of Shambhala.[18] Also, the esoteric tradition claims that the Great
spiritual Teachers of mankind - Krishna, Buddha, Jesus - were “incarnations of
cosmic Avatars.”[19]
A famous historical figure is the
Count of Saint Germain. Theosophists believe that his name does not refer to
birth, but to his occult abilities.[20] It means
“The Comrade (Lat. comes) of the Sacred Brotherhood.”[21]
He was described as a man with
outstanding intellectual abilities, brilliant speech and a mysterious way of
life that dazzled and amazed society.[22]
Helena P. Blavatsky wrote:
“Saint Germain was certainly the greatest Eastern adept that Europe has
seen in recent centuries. But Europe did not recognize him.”[23]
In literature
●
Phylos. A
Dweller on Two Planets. The
action takes place in America in the 19th century. The novel describes the
Lotinian Brotherhood, whose disciples are also called “Sons of Solitude” or
“Disciples of God”. Parallels are drawn between disciples and yogis of
Hindustan, who unite not only for the purpose of studying occultism: “The
one who really attained achievements, fulfill them himself, he grows
independently. His knowledge is not the result of learning together with
others. Knowledge is not in books. Every disciple of God is a shining center of
Divine wisdom himself. The very vows
asked of initiates are but tests to determine if in themselves they are that
which they seek to affiliate with.”[24]
●
Elizabeth
Haich. Initiation.[25] The
book describes Brotherhood, or a secret order, that existed in Ancient Egypt,
in which there were no visible forms of membership. Deep down, a person 
makes
a decision to give up attachments to the manifestations of the physical world,
and this decision triggers the mechanism of following the Path of Initiations.
For seven years, the person had to undergo tests without having contact with
the order. Among them are: the liberation from sensuality, anger, vanity,
greed, envy, sensitivity, the ability to resist external influences. After
that, he received deeper training and special tasks as a servant of the great
plan. With the growth of the spiritual development of a member of the order,
the responsibility for the actions performed also increased.
●
Disciple. The
life of initiate. H.P. The book describes several years of the life of
Justin Morward Haig – an Initiate, Adept of the White Brotherhood - on the
territory of London in the XIX century. The author claims that he was his
student and a witness to all the stories described. The book repeatedly
mentions the White Brotherhood and reveals the true meaning of its service to
humanity on Earth: “As for the last few years, during which we have worked
so unanimously together, let me thank you for your sympathy, which has brought
so much happiness to these years, and for your receptivity, which has allowed
me to gradually impart to you a little knowledge that the Brotherhood decided
to share with you. After all, it is not the ones we have patronized who need to
thank us for our help – it is we who are thankful to those who have allowed us
to help them take a walk along the evolutionary path, thus giving us the
opportunity to do what we want to do more than anything else in the world.”[26]
●
Saved by the
Light[27] is a series of autobiographical books in which the
author, Dannion Brinkley, tells about three experiences of clinical
death. Each of these episodes were accompanied by the
author's entry into a different dimension, located at a different vibrational
level. Being in another dimension, Dannion communicated with thirteen Beings of
Light who are observing the evolution of the planet Earth. According to the
author, the creatures helped him to realize his degradation as a man created by
God, gave instructions concerning the evolution of mankind, and also informed
him what would happen on Earth in the next 50 years. As the author himself
points out, the Beings of Light whom he met in the spiritual realm are Ascended
Masters living in the planes of the Spirit.
●
Concordia
Antarova. Two Lives. The main
character of the novel-Lyovushka, was
being educated by the Bright Brotherhood, and Great Teachers lead him on
the path of self-development and service to high ideals. His Teachers were
Hilarion, Paul the Venetian and El Morya, as well as Sanat Kumara, Saint
Germain and others. In the book, they are all Lords of the Great White
Brotherhood. Work for the common good is the highest value in the novel.[28] The
Bright Brothers are described as senior friends and spiritual mentors with the
highest spiritual and moral principles. They apply these principles in Their
lives every day, also instructing other people who meet Them during their
lives: "This is how a person can be happy with his inner state. That's
where the power of helping people without words, without sermons by one living
example comes from.”[29]
Vanga on the Teaching of the Great
White Brotherhood:
“The new Teaching will come from Russia – there
will be a pure Russia, there will be a White Brotherhood in Russia. From here,
the Teaching will begin its march around the world. The Teaching of the White
Brotherhood… Like a white flower, it will cover the Earth, and thanks to this
Teaching, people will be saved.
“This is a New Teaching,” she said, "but built on
the foundations of the old one. The old here can be compared to the roots, and
the new is like a flower blooming in the sun. The most ancient Teaching will
come to the world soon. They ask me: “How soon will this time come?” No, not
soon. Syria hasn't fallen yet!”[30]
People who worked on this article for Wikipedia:
Konstantin
Ovchinnikov, Tatyana Macherkevich, Victoria Yerofeyeva, Natalia Limonova,
Ilseyar Bikkenova, Dmitry Novoselov
The publication was prepared by Elena Ilyina
* * *
